Basic Menu - Application Choices

[Jim McQuillan]

On Wed, September 6, 2006 11:35 am, Richard Weideman wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Jordan (aka LaserJock) is working on dynamic menus.
> https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/edubuntu-dynamic-menus
>
> "What I was thinking was having a basic .menu that would have the most
> common items straight in the Applications menu so users don't have to
> dig around sub-menus, then on top of that build subject-based sub-menus.
> Stuff like Science, Art, Math, Writing, etc."
>
> He has a simple question for now:
>
> What would you expect to see on a common base menu for all users. We've
> had the following suggestions:
>
> * calculator
> * firefox
> * gedit
> * oo document
> * oo spreadsheet

You have 'calculator' which is a generic tool, and then you have 'firefox'
which is a specific application.

Both of those represent different ways of specifying what the user is
allowed to do.

I think that students should learn the generic terms for doing things,
without getting hung up on specific tools.

Therefore, I'd favor a menu like this:

  * Calculator
  * Web Browser
  * Text Editor
  * Word processor
  * Spreadsheet

If you use terms like 'firefox' then the students will be lost if they sit
down at a computer that doesn't have that specific application.

I know i'd MUCH rather have my kids learn how to use a "spreadsheet" than
how to use 'Excel'.


Ciao,
Jim McQuillan
jam at Ltsp.org